On BBC America’s Copper, rising star Tessa Thompson plays Sara Freeman, a 19th century New York woman who, after witnessing the violent deaths of her brothers, is afraid to leave the house. In reality, however, Thompson is a free spirit willing to try anything. From clothes to music to makeup, she loves to experiment with her style. "I love to play," says Thompson, who recently dropped by the Lucky offices dressed in an edgy-but-easy black Zara jumpsuit.

This season on Copper, Thompson (whom you might remember from the smash hit series Veronica Mars) says we can expect a lot more drama—and much more skin, too. "The series starts off pretty hot this year," says Thompson. "In general, the characters have a lot more on the line and also a lot less clothing, which has been fun and exciting for everyone." Thompson’s character Sara doesn’t exactly get out much, meaning her outfits aren’t always as exciting as she’d like (although in Season Two, she becomes a seamstress! Yay fashion!)—but thanks to her real-life love of vintage, she loves examining her costumes’ period-appropriate details. "As a kid, I grew up in my grandmother’s closet, trying on her clothes and really hoping for the day that I could wear those things, so I am really pleased to get to wear the costumes on the show," says Thompson. "It’s incredible because they bring in real clothes from that time period, just to be able to see the wear on the costumes."

So what does this style-star-in-the making wear in her day-to-day life? Click through to find out—and don’t forget to catch Copper on Sundays at 10/9C on BBC America.